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Sunday, September 2, 2007

Ugly Weekend At The Stadium

That sweep against the Red Sox seems a hundred years ago. Losing two out of three to Tampa Bay is not acceptable, especially when our weak link -- the rookie Ian Kennedy -- came through so nicely. The only plus was a friendly family behind us who promised to call me for suggestions on where to eat dinner in the Village. (I'd already told them about my favorite barbeque at Daisy Mae's and favorite burger at the Shake Shack.) hey folks, I would have sent you to The Spotted Pig on 314 West 11th Street. Ah well.

And since it's been a while since A-Rod got under my skin, he managed to do it again with his comments as reported in the NYTImes after Ian Kennedy's great outing when A-Rod had four RBI on three hits. "Getting the young man a little cushion I felt was important," Rodriguez said. I know he means well, but am I the only one who finds that statement obnoxious and condescending? He's talking about a teammate, not a Little Leaguer who sat in the dugout for an inning. God bless him, but A-Rod can never strike the right note.

Plus it's the entire comment. "Getting the young man a little cushion I felt was important." First of all, it's bizarrely worded, like a robot. No surer sign of someone uncomfortable in their skin than awkward phrasing. The "I felt" was oddly placed in the sentence. Second, the comment is assinine -- getting ANY pitcher a little cushion is I feel important. Getting 45 year old Roger Clemens a cushion is I feel important. Getting Wang a litte cushion is I feel important. What does it have to do with him being a rookie? Nothing. Finally, I return to the idea that referring to a fellow teammate as a "young man," like he's not even an equal, is insulting. Calling Clemens "old man" could be friendly dugout banter. Calling Kennedy "the kid" as a joke could be friendly. There was no joshing here with the corporate A-Rod -- he was all business as he referred to this young man. Is Kennedy pissed and annoyed? Of course not. But it rubs the wrong way.

I can tolerate ARod's pseudo-cerebral interviews, where he's constantly thinking "Just don't f*#& up" to himself. This causes a lot of lip licking and his eyes to roll up while he thinks through every sentence like his testifying before congress, and he doesn’t want to incriminate himself.

My only problem with the statement was that his inexcusable error led to 2 unearned runs, tying the game at the time. Was he looking to test the young man’s intestinal fortitude at that time?